Strong winds sweeping across coastal British Columbia have left more than 11,000 BC Hydro customers without power in Squamish, making it one of the hardest-hit communities in the province as of late Monday afternoon.
BC Hydro said about 70,000 customers across the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands were without electricity as of 5:30 p.m., down from a peak of more than 90,000 earlier in the day. With high winds expected to continue, the utility warned that additional outages are possible.
After Squamish, the most significant outages were reported in Duncan, where about 9,800 customers were without power, and Hope, with roughly 6,400 affected.
BC Hydro said the outages are largely the result of trees and branches falling onto electrical infrastructure, causing extensive damage to power lines, poles and other equipment. Crews and contractors are working to assess and repair the damage, but the utility cautioned that some customers, including in Squamish, may be without power overnight due to the scale of repairs required.
The utility is also receiving reports of downed power lines and is urging the public to treat them as emergencies. Anyone who encounters a downed line is advised to call 911 immediately and stay at least 10 metres away. BC Hydro crews are coordinating with first responders to secure affected areas.
BC Hydro said it appreciates customers’ patience as restoration work continues and emphasized that safety remains the top priority. The latest outage information and estimated restoration times are available at bchydro.com/outages.
